Factor analysis of Y-BOCS checklist and severity scale among patients with schizophrenia.

AIM: To carry out factor analysis of YBOCS checklist and YBOCS severity scale among patients with schizophrenia.

METHODOLOGY: 181 patients of schizophrenia were assessed on the Yale Brown Obsessive Compulsive Symptom (YBOCS) checklist, YBOCS severity scale and, positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS).

RESULTS: About one fourth (28.18%) of the patients fulfilled the diagnosis of current OCD and 29.83% of patients fulfilled the lifetime diagnosis of OCD. Factor analysis of YBOCS checklist yielded 5 factor structures. Factor analysis of YBOCS severity scale yielded a 2 factor model. The five factors of YBOCS checklist were named as: Hoarding (included hoarding obsessions and compulsions), contamination (included contamination obsessions and cleaning compulsions), symmetry & ordering (obsessions of symmetry and ordering compulsions), Blasphemous, religious & repetition (sexual and religious obsessions, repeating and counting compulsions) and Aggression and checking (aggressive and somatic obsessions, checking compulsions). In the two factor model of YBOCS severity scale, Factor-1 included 6 items related to time spent, interference and distress related to obsessions and compulsions; whereas factor-2 included items of resistance to and control over obsessions and compulsions.

CONCLUSIONS: Present study suggests that YBOCS checklist yielded 5 factor structures and factor analysis of YBOCS severity scale results in a 2 factor model among patients with schizophrenia. The five factor model is comparable with what has been reported for patients with pure OCD.